Albany emergency shelter has few in need

By Jim Wallace - bio | email

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - eople in South Albany evacuated Thursday night as the flash flooding waters rose around their homes. Albany emergency leaders called for a voluntary evacuation in two low lying areas, and many families heeded that warning and got out.

The Williams were running from their house on Mobile Avenue to their cars, piling their belongings in as fast as they could. The water from the drainage canal next to their house was running over and creeping up in their back yard.

Reverend Matthew Williams said "Then as I kept looking out here it just kept coming up and coming up. So then I told my family we might have to move."

The Williams and their two children were grabbing what they thought they needed, and packing up to evacuate.

Williams said "I tell you what, this is my first time doing this so I am trying to grab as much as possible in a short period of time."

Justine piled all her clothes she could not take on top of her bed, hoping that would keep them out of the water. Akeem grabbed the birds.

While they were packing, they were still not sure where they would go.

Felicia Williams said "If it cease, stop raining, maybe, hopefully we can come back tonight. If not, we'll go to a motel room."

Across the street the city had two pumps running, trying to force the rain water down the storm drains. But they were losing the fight against Mother Nature. So the Williams were evacuating.

Felicia Williams said "I never thought I would be into a flood zone area."

Tomorrow is Akeem's 13th birthday. He hopes they will be able to come home to a dry house to celebrate.

City leaders warn that if falling trees knock out power, those pumps will stop and water could rise dramatically in low-lying neighborhoods.